Headache for a week straight: what to know

Headache can arise from tension in the scalp, neck, or jaw, disrupted sleep, missed meals, eye strain, dehydration, or frequent use of pain medicine. Nasal congestion and facial pressure can occur with Allergic Rhinitis or Chronic Sinusitis. Fever, cough, sore throat, or body aches may accompany a Common Cold or COVID-19. Heat exposure and fluid loss can contribute through Heat Exhaustion or Dehydration. The duration alone cannot identify the cause.

Notice whether the pain is throbbing, pressing, one-sided, or worse with movement. Record nausea, light sensitivity, blocked nose, fever, dizziness, recent injury, and any new medicine. This pattern helps a clinician decide whether an examination or further testing is needed.

Drink fluids regularly, eat at predictable times, and take breaks from close-up screens. Rest in a quiet, dim room if light or sound aggravates the pain, and use gentle neck movement if stiffness is mild. Follow the label for any over-the-counter pain medicine and avoid taking it repeatedly for many days without medical advice, because frequent use can maintain headaches.

Arrange a routine medical appointment because the headache has continued for a week. Bring a short diary showing when it starts, its location and severity, what you take, and whether it improves.

Seek emergency help for a sudden, extremely severe headache; weakness or numbness on one side; trouble speaking, walking, or seeing; fainting, confusion, or a seizure; a stiff neck with fever; repeated vomiting; or a headache after a significant head injury. Get prompt medical advice for a new headache during pregnancy, with very high blood pressure, or alongside a fever and a spreading rash.

Could my symptoms fit a tension headache, migraine, sinus problem, infection, or medication-related headache? Which examinations might help clarify the cause? How should I use pain relief safely, and what changes should prompt urgent review?